I was considering this lens for the last 2 months. The price wasn't an issue to me. I simply wanted to get a workhorse that will fulfill my needs: wedings/events. Finaly I bought one today. What can I say... This is one fantastic lens! Period.

Mar 10, 2006

pikkabbuOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Dec 28, 2005Location: SpainPosts: 10

Review Date: Mar 7, 2006

Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated

Pros:

please see my prior review

Cons:

please see my prior review

I said I'll be back with some news, and here I am.
I got a new copy of this zoom after a one month out-of-stocks delay.
This copy don't have the great problems of the first one, and works much better.
Someone asked me why I scored a 3 if my copy was a bad one, and I answered people may know that buying a $1,500 lens, you can get a potatoe. Even if you can get it changed.

Tests with new copy say that at 2.8, you don't have good sharpness, better close a couple of diaphrams.
Results are good, no doubt, but not 1,500 dollars good !
The 18-35mm 3.5-4.5 gives me more sharpness. Strange, isn't it ?
Anyway, I had the new copy less than a week. I sold it yet. But let the lens a long week end to the buyer for him to try.
He felt happy, and so do I.
Pik

Mar 7, 2006

NikonguyOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Dec 22, 2004Location: N/APosts: 1

Review Date: Feb 16, 2006

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated

Pros:

Great lens...

Cons:

I don;t think there are any

Since I shoot every now and then slides and B&W on an F5 and N90s, I had my hesitations before shedding $1,200 for a DX lens to play along with my new D200 (before I was using a D100 with 18-70 and other Nikkors). All of them were gone when I received it, the lens is built like a tank and work as one. I have plenty of subjects around my house, as soon as I opened the box I headed outside the house to shoot several subjects @ F2.8 all focall lenghts.. They all are tack sharp, the AF is so fast and silent I had to check if I had switched the body to 'M' by accident. Only glitch (might be me) the zooming ring is a bit tight. If it doesn't get loose on due time, I'll send it to Nikon to loosen it up a bit. I could send it back to B&H for an exchange, but what if a get one without this minor glitch but with an optical one? Again, is not a big deal, it might be me....

Should you by this lens???

What are you waiting for....

Feb 16, 2006

1911OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Mar 11, 2005Location: United StatesPosts: 142

Review Date: Jan 20, 2006

Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated

Pros:

Very sharp. Nice quality build.

Cons:

Could use more focal length. But what the heck. Pricey?

This lens almost lives on my d200. Just almost. It is my favorite, but not my exclusive lens.

Jan 20, 2006

1911OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Mar 11, 2005Location: United StatesPosts: 142

Review Date: Jan 20, 2006

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Sharp, almost my permanent lens for my D200. Excellent clarity with the exception of flaring at times(my fault). Almost the perfect range.

Cons:

A bit heavy? so I lift a few extra dumbells. Pricey? a small investment for a lifetime of quality shots.

This lens almost never comes off of my D200. I say only almost. I'd also like the hope of having a few more mm's but what the heck, just swap it with another.

Jan 20, 2006

pikkabbuOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Dec 28, 2005Location: SpainPosts: 10

Review Date: Jan 15, 2006

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 3

Pros:

Cons:

Mine is very bad and very soft. My 18-70mmm f:3.5 - 5.6 works much better. Tomorrow it will be back to the seller for chaech and change (cause I'm sure mine is bad but others are good). Will keep informed.

Can't judge this lens yet, but I guess you people must take care if you buy a one, and check it as much as you can.

I'll be back with news.

pik

Jan 15, 2006

VirgilOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Nov 30, 2004Location: AustriaPosts: 17

Review Date: Dec 30, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10

Pros:

fast, sharp, great to handle

Cons:

expensive

After using the 18-70DX the use of the 17-55DX changed my shooting-experience completely. This lens does everything i could have ever asked for. The only concern i had was for the 55mm vs. 70mm but it turned out that - using the 70-200VR - you change to the real tele as soon as you reach the 55mm as you at this point normally need more tele then the 15mm. So, no big deal at all.

Dec 30, 2005

maljoOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Mar 1, 2003Location: United StatesPosts: 486

Review Date: Dec 22, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,250.00
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Very solid, excellent optics, a joy to use

Cons:

none

Very well made, excellent lens. I love using this optic.
Usually the lens I have on my camera.
Useful zoom range.
It is a bit expensive.

Dec 22, 2005

ThangOfflineBuy and Sell: On

Registered: Jan 25, 2004Location: United StatesPosts: 8958

Review Date: Dec 21, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10

Pros:

useful and effective zoom range of 17-55mm. Built quality is superb. Sharpness and contrast is top notch.

Cons:

Would be great if the range can go up to 65 or 70.

I bought this lens new from BH to cover my wide angle need. This lens is superb. AF is super fast and accurate. Sharpness is nothing to complain about, especially at f/2.8! I didn't notice any improvement in sharpness when stopped down. For me, that's an indication of a high quality lens. For now, I don't have anything to complain about, except maybe, it would be great if the zoom can go up to 65 or 70. Other than that, this lens fits my need perfectly. I supplement it with the 24-85 AFS as a walkaround combo together with the D2X.

If money is "not" an issue, I highly recommend this lens!

Dec 21, 2005

JuliusOfflineBuy and Sell: On

Registered: Jan 26, 2002Location: United StatesPosts: 988

Review Date: Dec 14, 2005

Recommend? |
Price paid: $1,200.00

Pros:

Very sharp and contrasty with excellent color reproduction even wide open.

Cons:

None

This is an update to my previous review of April 9, 2005 where I rated this lens as "8" due to slight image softness towards the edges and corners of the pictures.
However Nikon service replaced the lens on May 25, 2005 with a brand new one and this one is excellent. My rating based on this replacement lens would be 10.

Dec 14, 2005

mattdelgadoOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Dec 9, 2005Location: United StatesPosts: 0

Review Date: Dec 9, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,199.99
| Rating: 9

Pros:

Excellent weight and construction. Optics are second to none (well, maybe Zeiss), sharpness is 9/10 (which is waay above average)

Cons:

"G" lens still has me bothered, not internal zoom. The fact that this lens extends quite a bit while zooming really bothers me. Not like my 17-35. Very disappointing.

Just bought this lens, and I have to say that I am impressed. I enjoy the extra length; this is an extremely versatile pro lens. The color saturation is top notch, and sharpness is almost perfect, end to end. Flaring and ghosting are a problem with this lens, so always have large lens hood on, and don't shoot directly into the sun (no shit?). <p> The only problem I have with the lens in that fact that it extends and retracts as one zooms. Now, one of the great aspects of some other pro zooms, like the 17-35 f/2.8 and the 80-200 f/2.8 Nikkors, is that they zoom internally, which is far more attractive and also decreases ghosting and flaring.<p>I suppose with the added focal length this is only necessary, but what a truly perfect lens this would be if it zoomed internally.

I got this based on some test shots plus overwhelming positive reviews from users. Experience showed that I needed lens that would make the most of my D70 bodies with regard to portraits and groups, particularly for enlarging. I was in a shooting situation wher using flash was a problem, and having a lens like this would have helped greatly. I can see it as a backbone wedding lens.

As to my numerical review ratings, I just put down some preliminary numbers because I got the lens yesterday.

Considering the MSRP of the lens, I am very happy with the price I paid and the service I received from my dealer, B&H.

Dec 6, 2005

KeakaOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Oct 15, 2004Location: CanadaPosts: 303

Review Date: Oct 6, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,500.00
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Fast focusing, end to end sharpness, rock solid build quality.

Cons:

Price

I found the 55mm end a bit limiting at first but it was just a matter of getting used to it. Being a little restrictive it probably improved my photography skills also.

The lens is tack sharp end to end, even wide open. The build quality is excellent and that AF-S motor works like a charm. The only thing to nitpick about is the price, but you get what you pay for.

Oct 6, 2005

bradleys83OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Feb 13, 2005Location: New ZealandPosts: 65

Review Date: Sep 24, 2005

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,300.00
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Sharp, Solid Build, Contrast and Colour Rendition are great and Focus is Quick

Cons:

None worth mentioning

An outstanding lens, a marked improvement over the 18-70mm DX as one would expect. I don't miss the 15mm between this and the 70-200 F2.8. It is heavy, but it is a 'Professional' lens and is built rock solid.

Sharpness is outstanding right out to the corners. For those that have the money or require a fast, solid, sharp lens its a no brainer, just get one.

Of all my lenses, this is the one which is on my camera 90% of the time!! I love the range, clarity, speed and quality of this lens..... more lenses should be built like this one!!! If you are AT ALL considering the purchase of this lens you've GOTTA DO IT!! You wont regret it!!

This has become my most-used lens. I sold my superb 17-35mm f2.8 AF-S after I bought this lens, something I never thought I would do. This lens is tack-sharp right to the corners of the frame.

It clearly outperforms the Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8 and EF 28-70mm f2.8 lenses that I owned previously - especially in the areas of vignetting and chromatic aberration. I suppose these problems can be corrected with software, but why not get it right the first time?

The equivalent focal length range of 25-80mm is great, but a few more millimeters on the long end would have been nice.